Book Reviews

Four of today’s most intriguing paranormal authors entice readers deep into the shadows, where vampires, immortals, and other supernatural creatures heat up the night…

On The Hunt by Alexandra Ivy

Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again…

Scorpius Rising by Rebecca Zanetti

With a deadly disease spreading like wildfire across the country, microbiologist Nora Medina needs to focus all her energy on stopping the pandemic. Playing with dynamite—in the form of her way-too-hot ex—is the last thing she should be doing. But forced to work with Deacan McDougall against unexpected enemies with the seconds ticking by, she knows the explosion is coming…

Phantom Embrace by Dianne Duvall

Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he’s never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.

Stake Out by Hannah Jayne

Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22859804-on-the-hunt?ac=1Like most writers, I was born with an avid love for reading. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a book in my hand or wasn’t dreaming up wild stories in my head. And when I stepped into my local library for the first time I thought it was paradise. There were so many books on the shelves I didn’t know where to start!

Still, I didn’t plan to grow up and become a writer. I was much more interested in a glorious career as an actress on Broadway.

I followed my dream by acquiring a degree in theatre and performing for several years in summer-stock productions, but after I married my college sweetheart I decided to put the career on hold while we started a family. After the arrival of my two sons, Chance and Alex, I found myself seeking a new creative outlet and decided to turn my occasional scribblings into a genuine effort to get published.

I’d like to say that I was an overnight success, but the truth is that it took years before I finally got ‘the call’. The rejections were painful, but now I’m relieved. All those manuscripts that I thought were the next Great American Novel are now exactly where they belong…gathering dust under my bed.

They did, however, help me learn my craft, and just as importantly, they gave me the opportunity to enjoy writing in a wide variety of genres as I searched for my voice. Which no doubt explains why I started writing traditional regencies under the name Debbie Raleigh and then moved to steamy historicals under the name Deborah Raleigh before transforming into a contemporary paranormal writer as Alexandra Ivy. Now my career spans everything from erotica to romantic suspense.

When I’m not writing I love to travel, it doesn’t matter where I’m going as long as it doesn’t include any cooking or cleaning. I also love to spend time with my family who continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. And since some things never change…when I have a few minutes, you can still find me with a book in my hand!

Rebecca Zanetti wrote her first story when she was six – a romance between a princess and neighboring prince. The princess fell out of her castle and the prince rescued her. A happily ever after was had by all.

This theme of romance has been carried through Rebecca’s works until present time. While today’s heroine may have a medical degree, black belt in Karate and her own 401K, she’s still after that happy ending. And today’s prince may have fangs and wear a black hat, but hey, a modern princess likes a guy who bites.
Rebecca attended Pepperdine University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a Political Science emphasis. While there she worked as the Editor-in-Chief of The Graphic newspaper, a member of the Pi Phi Sorority and an intern for President Reagan, who still gave 3-5 speeches a week, even though he was no longer president.

After college, Rebecca worked as an art curator and a Senate aide before heading to law school, where she received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho. She married Tony Zanetti in the middle of her second year of law school and became pregnant with their first child during the third year. She graduated law school, gave birth three weeks later, and took the Bar Exam three weeks after that. All she remembers about the bar exam is that it was so quiet in the testing room, she thought about taking a quick nap. But she continued on, passed the bar and became a lawyer. She worked for a large firm, then a small firm, then the county while also teaching legal classes at her local community college. Now she writes romances about vampires, cowboys, and soldiers.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides there with her husband, children and extended family who inspire her every day. Rebecca has completed several manuscripts, winning award throughout the writing industry for her work. She is currently writes the Dark Protector series for Kensington Publishing, the Maverick Montana series for Entangled Publishing, and the Sin Brothers series for Grand Central Publishing.

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews).

Dianne’s acclaimed Immortal Guardians books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and/or Amazon Bestseller lists. The first book in Dianne’s new series The Gifted Ones, A Sorceress of His Own, will be released on June 2, 2015. A prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, will be released in 2016 and is a time travel romance.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she loves to create in her books.

Hannah is the author of the UNDERWORLD DETECTION AGENCY CHRONICLES from Kensington books and the young adult thrillers TRULY, MADLY, DEADLY, SEE JANE RUN and THE DARE available from Sourcebooks, Inc.

When she’s not battling the demons of the Underworld or tackling a murderer at Hawthorne High, Jayne kicks her feet up in her San Francisco bay area home and attempts to share couch space with two enormous cats.

New York Times bestselling author Sandra Hill delivers a sizzling new entry in her Deadly Angels series, as a Viking vangel’s otherworldly mission teams him with a Navy SEAL who’s more than his match-she’s his predestined mate . . .

The fact that vampire angel Harek Sigurdsson was a Norseman in his mortal life doesn’t make thawing out after exile in Siberia any easier. But things heat up when his search for evil Lucipires connects him with Camille Dumaine, a human who thrums with sensual energy that can mean only one thing: she’s the mate Harek’s been seeking for centuries. . .

The SEALs call her “Camo” for her ability to blend into a crowd-yet Harek’s intense blue gaze singles Camille out like a white-hot spotlight. The security wiz was hired to help bring down a ruthless band of international kidnappers, but Camille senses an unspoken agenda-besides Harek’s bold declaration that she’s his “destiny”. Just Camille’s luck that the sexiest man she’s ever met may also be …a vampire!

About the Author:

Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than 10 years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories. She is the wife of a stockbroker and the mother of four sons.

After being captured by the Kold-Bloods, Amyna is forced to make some tough decisions. She has affirmed in her mind that she will not be a slave. After the ultimate sacrifice, she has to brave the brutal winter of the north to stay alive. She must decide for herself if it’s a life worth living.

Is it time to live or time to die?

Please feel free to post either of these, or both if you like, anytime from July 18th – July 25th and remember to enter your URL on the rafflecopter giveaway each time you do.

About the Author

Holland has lived in Texas all her life. She lives with her supportive husband and three wonderful children. She loved to write poetry at a young age and has tried a hand at writing short novels. Along with fishing and being in the outdoors, she enjoys writing horror, paranormal romance, and adult dystopian.

Dorian A’Kraine, the leader of this mission, and future ruler over the Aubadians, against his father’s wishes, decides that Earth is the next planet to conquer. But not all of his kind wish their young prince good fortune. His own blood plot against him, and something dark and demonic is lurking, entrapped in the shadows of their prison walls. As Dorian A’Kraine and the Aubadians descend to Earth, he unleashes his legion of winged beasts that are stronger, faster, and more brutal than the human race could ever be.

High school senior, Amyna Carter, has lost everything. With her father, Shane, sentenced to fifteen years in prison for a bank robbery, and her younger brother, Robbie gone, life seems hopeless. Shane is released on the agreement that he will help fight against their attackers. Instead, he rushes to his family, making it to them just in time. While on the run, Amyna, her family, and a group of other survivors, are forced to make decisions that go against their morals and better judgment if they want to survive. As the group of survivors continue to fight and attempt to stay one step ahead of their new masters, Amyna realizes she may want much more than to survive. She wants to live.

Will Dorian and Amyna both get what they want? Or what if the ultimate sacrifice is losing everything they want, to gain everything they need?

Book 1 currently on sale

Claim It (Book 2)

On the run, Amyna Carter and other survivors have decided Canada is the safest place to flee. They now know the enemy’s weakness– the cold. With winter not far ahead, they travel through the United States hoping to make it to a refuge in Canada in time. With tensions running high amongst the group, the survivors have to deal with threats from within while they run from the growing threat of the Kold-Bloods. But they may have more than just the Kold-Bloods to worry about. They may have to worry about each other.

Dylan, Nico, and Olivier are working on a compromise that allows
them to live within the city together. There are power struggles going on
everywhere and Dylan is learning that it’s becoming a liability that she is
still mortal. However, she’s not ready to let go of her mortality. Dylan and
Nico are growing stronger as a power couple and that is causing some feelings
of jealousy from a few different people within their lives. Dylan is learning
about being “a sensitive” and trying to forge a new home within Paris. Will she
be able to survive as a mortal? Can Nico and Olivier come up with a compromise
that allows them to work together?

Author Bio

Shannon Bell
grew up in Florida and has always dreamed about vampires – and still secretly
hopes they exist. She is married to someone who tolerates her crazy
story-telling about Romania and has a daughter she hopes will have the same
enthusiasm for vampires when she grows up that her mommy does.Shannon has a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of
Central Florida as well as an online degree in vampirology. She is a full-time
writer and currently hard at work on her next novel.

BOOK INFORMATION

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Natasha White has always been unlucky in love. The men she falls for only want one thing from her, and it isnât commitment. When her boss and on/off fling announces his engagement to another woman, she finds herself running from her feelings for him by taking a job as a personal assistant to the legendary rock god, Alex Harbourâhalf a world away. Her new boss is sexy, damaged, and insatiable, but Natasha has been a fan since she was a young girl. Conflicted by her emotions, she begins a love/hate relationship with the egotistical rock star.Alexâs intentions toward her are clear from the moment they meet, but Natasha isnât about to run from one emotionless connection to another. She is determined to keep her distance from her childhood crush, by any means necessary. When lust begins to cloud her mind, however, she becomes hell bent on protecting her heart. What good could ever come out of falling for a rock star, anyway?

BUY & TBR LINKS

EXCERPT

“You’re pretty good at handling the media,” Alex mused once we’d taken our seats inside the cinema. “You sure know how to put them in their place. I think that was the most effortless set of interviews I’ve ever had.”

“I have a love, hate relationship with them. I don’t mind being abrupt when they overstep their mark.”

“That’s a little like us.” I had to giggle at that. “You look really beautiful tonight, Nat.”

“Maybe you should keep your eyes on the stage instead of on me.” I smirked, brushing of his comment while we watched the director and main leads take the stage. I tried to collect my thoughts, but Alex Harbour had just called me beautiful.

So many people acknowledged Alex as they wandered past us. Some stopped to congratulate him on the song for the soundtrack. I, myself, was disappointed with the song. It had a more pop feel than rock. To me, it was like he’d sold out on this track. It wasn’t the real him.

My mouth fell open when Adam Rider came over and had a quick chat with us. He was ‘the’ Hollywood actor at the moment, and gazing up at him, I could see why. The man was almost as sexy as Alex, with his dark, almost black hair, deep chocolate eyes and sexy irish accent. He wore a tux just as well, too.
“When are you going to take that jump into the film industry, Alex?” he asked, darting his eyes toward me.

“That’s never going to happen, Adam. Music is my love. We’ve had this conversation before.”

“And who is this? I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” Adam held my gaze, the same way Alex did the first time I met him. Celebrities of their caliber always had that effect on me, knocking me breathless with their beauty. It was a surreal moment to realize they were real people, not just a perfect face in a magazine or on TV.

“I…I…I’m Natasha White,” I stuttered, taking his hand when he offered it to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Natasha,” he cooed, kissing the back of my hand. Hollywood actors…were they all this smooth? “I’m not used to seeing Alex with such a sophisticated woman.” Now I was blushing.

“Natasha is my new personal assistant.” Alex’s tone was sharp as he shot daggers at Adam. “You better take your seat, Adam. It looks like they’re going to start.”

“I need to find my date anyway. Good talking with you, Alex. Natasha.” Gracefully, he disappeared into the crowd in search of his seat.

“Wow,” I gasped, holding my chest. “I just met Adam Rider.”

“Are you a fan of his?” Alex didn’t seem that interested in my answer. He was busy playing with the arm of his chair.

“Who isn’t a fan of his? I heard he turned down the lead role in this film we’re seeing tonight.”
“I wouldn’t know, but I’m not sure Westerns are his thing anyway.”

“Do you see him a lot? Are you good friends with him?”

“Straight Lace, do you have a crush on Mr. Hollywood? I do know him pretty well. We jam together from time to time.” He couldn’t hide his smirk. “Most actors are womanizers, though, and Adam is no different. I wouldn’t get mixed up with him.”

“I’ve heard that about rock stars, too,” I quipped. “And you definitely live up to that.”

“Maybe you need to find a more reliable source. You really don’t know me well enough to make that judgement yet.”

CHARACTER BIOS

Alex Harbour– Adored by millions of women all over the world, Alex Harbour has the world at his feet and the ego to match. Once a front man to the legendary rock band, Steel Roses, he is now a solo artist. His lifestyle is sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Fame has corrupted his soul. No one is strong enough to help him face the demons from his past. That is until a certain PA walks into his life.

Natasha White– All Nat wants is someone that will love her unconditionally, but she has a habit of falling for the wrong man. Maybe secretly she is scared of commitment. Half italian, she has a fiery temper and can stand up for herself. After falling for her boss she has no choice but to take a job to get some distance between them when she discovers he’s become engaged. Running away to LA to work for the rock star Alex Harbour might be the best decision she ever made, though.

AUTHOR BIO

B.L. Wilde is a British author obsessed with many things, including heated love stories and sexy men.She can often be found at her desk working on her next project, or looking at eye candy online for research purposes. She is a sucker for happy endings, but will always make her characters work for it. If you enjoy romance, suspense and erotica, let your imagination run ‘Wilde’.

Rancher Caitlin Olsen is in complete control of her life. After years of taking care of others, she’s on her own and loving every minute. She has her horses and her ranch. What more does she need? Yet deep inside, she yearns to give up all her responsibilities and simply experience life. When a friend suggests she try a bit of BDSM role-play, she does her research and accepts an invitation to Pleasure Manor for a fairy tale event.

War hero and Dominant, Damon Steele is a loner. His failure to keep his men alive destroyed too many hopes and dreams. He won’t be responsible for anyone else’s life or happiness ever again. There’s no room in his life—or his heart—for romance. Instead, he satisfies his needs at BDSM clubs and never with the same sub. Taking part in the fairy tale event at Pleasure Manor is difficult enough, but when Beauty challenges him both in the bedroom and out, he’s not sure he can control his inner beast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Caitlin woke during the night in the heavenly bed beneath the open skylight. She’d fallen asleep with her very own prince, in her very own miniature castle. Overhead, the wind rustled through the trees, and the lonely call of their owl drifted into the tree house. Stars winked above. She snuggled deeper. The bed with its feather comforter and mattress top along with the Egyptian cotton sheets was like sleeping inside a cloud.

She turned and stretched out her arms, needing to feel Damon and to prove she wasn’t dreaming. His side of the bed was empty.

Sitting, she frowned. A low sound from the other room caught her attention. “Damon?”

The moan came again. Caitie grabbed the robe she’d used after her shower and left bed. She found him thrashing on the couch. A slanting beam of moonlight revealed a face twisted with pain.

He called out, flung out his arm. Caitie quickly realized he was trapped in the throes of a nightmare. Unsure what to do, she went to him. She knew from the many vets on her ranch not to touch him in case he thought she was an enemy and tried to attack in defense of whatever stalked his mind.

She turned on the lights. He’d removed his leather pants and slept in his own skin. A quilt was twisted beneath him, half on the floor. She couldn’t stop herself from staring. Even asleep, the man had the most impressive body she’d ever seen.

She frowned when she spotted a long, deep, ragged scar furrowed his upper thigh from just shy of groin to his knee. The muscles were taut, and spasms rippled beneath the puckered skin. Good lord. No wonder he limped. She sucked in her breath and sat on the edge of the couch. She knew enough to know he was both lucky to be alive and to have his leg.

“Damon. I’m here. Can you hear me?” As though she were gentling a frightened horse, she spoke soft and low, calling his name. At the same time, she slid her palm up his thigh, her touch faint and gentle, applying more pressure so she didn’t startle him. When she was able to touch him fully, she began massaging his thigh with her thumbs, using long, smooth strokes.

Trapped in his nightmare, Damon lashed out. He heard shouting, screaming, and shrieking. He tried to stand. Couldn’t. Hurt—bad. His men. They needed help. Ambushed. Fuck.

“Can’t get them. Can’t save them.” The pain in his thigh took his breath away. Had he lost his leg? The pain. Breathing was labored, and his heart pounded. He was weak, everything going gray, as though his life was draining from his body.

“It’s all right, Damon. You’re dreaming.”

The gentle voice of an angel threaded through his nightmare, soothing, calming. Heaven? He tried to open his eyes, but the light was too bright. “Not—dream. My men. Killed them.”

“Wake now. You’re safe. You’re with me.”

Safe. The soft, low voice promised he was safe.

“No!” He didn’t deserve to be safe. Or soothed. His men were dead. He was not. Families destroyed. His fault. Pain had him gasping. Pain he deserved.

Except the pain was fading, replaced by warmth seeping into him. He relaxed as hands unknotted muscles and warmed him, as his angel talked and tore him from the grips of hell. He opened his eyes and blinked. An angel in white sat beside him. Not an angel. Caitlin.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sydney St. Claire is the pseudonym of Susan Edwards, author of 14 Historical Native American/Western/Paranormal romances and the author of the popular “White” Series.

Sydney loves writing and sharing stories of love, happiness and dreams come true with her readers. She credits her mother for her writing success. Encouraged to read as a child, she always preferred happy endings which meant romances were her favorite genre. Sydney takes her readers into the world of erotica romance where her characters come together in explosive passion as they solve life’s problems and find true love along with the best sex our hero and heroine have ever experienced.

Sydney’s office is quite crowded with three dogs at her feet and five cats to keep her company while she writes. Three cats always insist on beds on her desk, barely leaving enough room for her monitor and keyboard. Life gets fun when all five insist on supervising…

When not writing, she enjoys crafts of all sorts including quilting, sewing, cross-stitch and knitting. She and her husband of 30 + years are avid gardeners. He takes care of the veggies, and Susan is in charge of the ‘pretties’. Her medicine wheel garden is in a contact state of war: flowers vs. weeds. Sadly, right now the weeds are wining…

While writing, she listens to a wide variety of music. Her current favorites are Blackmore’s Night and David Lanz.

Two years out of college, Angelica Bondesan spends her time working as a barista, keeping in touch with her prodigal brother, and trying to figure out how to bridge the gap with her father, a wealthy real estate developer.

But all of that changes the night she’s kidnapped. Thrown into a windowless room, Angelica is positive there’s been some kind of mistake —until she meets Nico Vitale.

Gorgeous and frightening, Nico became the boss of New York City’s Vitale crime family after the execution style murder of his parents two years earlier. Since then he’s turned the old-school mob into a sleek, modern army of ruthless men who understand that physical violence —while always an option —isn’t the only way to get what you want.

Now Angel is forced to face the truth;

Her father is not the man she believed him to be.

Nico Vitale is dangerous, possibly lethal.

She is falling in love with Nico Vitale.

Angelica is just drifting along after graduating from college when out of nowhere she is kidnapped. Nico is the new mob boss for the Vitale family and has an ax to grind with Angelica’s father. He thinks that her father killed his parents. It’s a typical Stockholm syndrome book. She falls for her captor and in the process learns some interesting things about her own family.

This book was okay for me. I liked Angelica better than Nico in this book. I wasn’t really impressed with Nico. He just didn’t seem Alpha enough for me. He seemed more worried about the men’s dress and cursing than what I would expect a mob boss to be. It was definitely not a bad book but it wasn’t one I will gush about to my book lovin’ friends either. It fell somewhere in the middle.

Blurbs

“From page one you’re hooked and sucked into this corrupt thrilling world. A masterful romance of deep dark suspense, complicated emotions, and exciting action.” – New York Times bestseller, M.J. Rose

Nico Vitale was kneeling in one of the pews at St. Monica’s, praying for his mother and father. They’d been gone two years, but the pain of losing them still lingered. He had only been twenty-eight when they’d been killed, and he’d expected to have them for many more years, to give them the daughter-in-law and grandchildren they had wanted.

Their future had been stolen. From all of them.

He forced down the fury that had become all too familiar. Anger was good. Productive. It’s what drove him to seek justice, to right the wrong perpetrated against his family, against the honor code that had survived decades under the rule of some of history’s most violent men.

But this wasn’t the place for anger. This was the place for peace. Repentance. He took a deep breath and tired to calm himself.

His mother had always gone to St. Patrick’s, but Nico made a point of moving around the city, sitting in any church with an open door. He liked the anonymity of it. Liked knowing that no one would know him or remember his parents.

His faith was only a shadow of the belief that had sustained them. Nico didn’t believe in the edicts of the Church. It had been organized by man to benefit man. He worshipped his own god, and his god didn’t turn the other cheek. He might forgive, but that forgiveness didn’t preclude a punishment justly earned. Still, he liked to sit in silence and remember, to send love to his parents, wherever they were, and to stand on the side of any god who believed in vengeance.

He was reciting the Lord’s Prayer when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He instinctively shook off the hand. When he turned to see who had interrupted him, he was even less pleased.

“What is it, Dante?”He forced his voice even as he took in the leather jacket and jeans worn by the man in front of him. A dress code was part of Nico’s organizational reboot, but keeping cool was a point of pride, part of his mission to remake his father’s business for the twenty-first century. And having a reputation for being calm only made him more formidable when the situation called for his wrath.

Nico looked around before tipping his head at the church’s massive double doors. “Not here.”

Dante stood, hurrying down the aisle. Nico followed slowly, letting the peace of the church wash over him as he made his way out the door.

He took his time following Dante down the steps of the church. When they reached the sidewalk, they stepped back to stand near an adjacent building.

“Any trouble?”Nico asked.

Dante shook his head. “She didn’t see it coming.”

Nico didn’t like the note of excitement in Dante’s voice. Nico’s father had ingrained old-fashioned chivalry in his bones, and Nico never sanctioned hurting women. These kinds of things were a necessary part of doing business, not something he enjoyed.

“You didn’t hurt her.”It wasn’t a question.

Dante sighed, and Nico caught a hint of annoyance in the other man’s face before he could hide it. “We did it just like you said. Knocked her out, put her in the van, took her to the basement. She’s fine.”

Nico nodded. “Good. Make sure she’s comfortable.”

“Comfortable?”Dante’s laugh was bitter. “Why do we care if that bitch is comfortable?”

Nico clamped a hand on Dante’s shoulder and squeezed until he flinched. “We don’t call women bitches in this organization. Ever. Understand?”

Dante nodded, his eyes lit with the fire of indignation.

“Good.”Nico released his grip. “Now go make the pick-up.”

“Will do.”Dante rolled his shoulders, like doing so would free him of Nico’s grip when they both knew only death or dishonor would do that. “Want a ride back to the office?”

“No.”He didn’t owe Dante an explanation.

Dante nodded and headed for the car double parked at the curb. Nico watched him get in and drive away. He waited for the car to disappear into traffic before he started walking.

Dante was a problem. Nico understood it, but he was still trying to settle on a strategy for dealing with it. He knew Dante resented him. That Dante believed his father, Gabriel Santoro, should have been Underboss to Nico’s father before his death. If that had been the case, Dante’s father would be Boss now, and Dante himself would be the crown prince of the New York territory.

Instead, a year before his death Nico’s father had inexplicably turned to Nico, pleading with him to step in as Underboss. Only twenty-seven at the time, Nico wasn’t ready to take on the mantel of responsibility held by his father. He didn’t even believe in the mob. Not the way it was then; stealing and killing and raping in the name of money. In the name of power.

But his father had been unsettled. Even Nico, as young and wrapped up in himself as he’d been at the time, could see that. And his father — his family — meant everything to him. So he’d gotten his act together and joined the business, learning it from the inside out. He was just beginning to feel like he had a handle on the basic operations when his parents were murdered, execution style, outside the restaurant where they’d met over three decades ago. They had been celebrating their thirty-second anniversary.

Nico had spent the two years since remaking his father’s legacy. Raneiro Donati, head of the Syndicate that acted as governing body to criminal organizations all over the world, had stepped in as a mentor and father figure, guiding Nico through the early stages of grief and the rage that threatened to undo him. Gradually, Nico had found a focus for his fury, and he’d poured every ounce of his energy into targeting that focus and reimagining his father’s legacy.

Some of Nico’s soldiers embraced the change. Others, like Dante, clung to the old ways. Nico understood, but the reorganization wasn’t optional. They would comply or they would be gone.

Nico didn’t like taking the girl. A decade ago, something like that would be off the table, a blatant breaking of rules that had been in place since before the Syndicate formally existed. But nothing could be rebuilt without first dismantling the rotting foundation of what had come before.

And unfortunately, the girl was part of that foundation.

He checked for traffic on 2nd Avenue and crossed just before a taxi barreled through the intersection. He felt liberated by his time at the church. Lighter on his feet. Maybe he would call one of the women who acted as a physical companion when he felt the urge.

After all, he wasn’t a saint.

Michelle St. James Bio:

Michelle St. James aka Michelle Zink is the author of seven published books and six novellas. Her first series, Prophecy of the Sisters (YA), was one of Booklist’s Top Ten Debut novels. Her work has also been an Indie Next selection and has appeared on prestigious lists such as the Lonestar List, New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age, and Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best. Her character, Alice, won the Teen Read Awards for Best Villain against Harry Potter’s Lord Voldemort.

WARNING: This story contains female submission, a Daddy Dom/babygirl relationship, hot oral sex scenes, and the beginning of an erotic BDSM lifestyle. This is intended for mature (18+) audiences only.

Lola’s top priority in life has always been her tattoo parlor, Skin Deep and for years all she has wanted was for it to succeed. But when two of her employees decide to venture to bigger cities for a change of pace she is devastated and finding replacements proves to be both difficult and stressful. When she does hire River Hawthorne she knows that there is something different about him and whatever it is, she finds it attractive. What she doesn’t know is what River is about to do to her…Or just how much time she’ll spend on her knees for him.

Lola is a tattoo shop owner and River is an artist she hires after two of her artists move out of state for other jobs. They are attracted to each other from the very beginning but River is afraid that he will scare Lola with his lifestyle. He’s a Daddy Dom who isn’t really looking for a baby girl but Lola just hits that chord with him and it’s on from that point. I loved watching the way that their relationship progressed even though some of the aspects of the lifestyle were hard for Lola to comprehend.

I really liked the storyline of this book. I like how everything played out with the characters and how it all tied together. That’s about all I can say without giving away major spoilers. Now, on to my reasoning for the 4 star review…….The first incident with Lola and River didn’t seem real to me. I seriously thought it was going to turn out to be some kind of daydream sequence but nope. LOL There were a couple of incidents/scenes in the book that just didn’t seem realistic to me but it didn’t take away from the rest of the book enough that I lost my enjoyment of the story.

River’s POV

“You want to have a seat with me in the back? Have lunch together?”

She takes a moment to think about it and finally nods. She follows me from her office to the break room. I can tell that she’s been thinking. If she’s anything like me, she’s thinking about last night. Only I’m willing to bet she’s wondering what she did wrong, why she did what she did, and what she is going to do now. I want to tell her that she didn’t do anything wrong. But to feed her the cliché line of “it’s not you, it’s me” seems like a whole lot of bullshit at this point. I could easily man up and just tell her…but then I risk not only being fired but losing her altogether. Makes me hate being so fucked up. She looks at me with sad eyes as she has a seat at the table.

I pull out a chair across from her and begin sitting our food and drinks on the table. I look up at her with my eyes and catch her staring. She quickly looks away and purses her lips. It doesn’t seem to be sitting well with her either. I’m reducing her to nothing more than a fucking one night stand. What a dick move. I open a straw and place it in one of the thirty-two ounce cups and push it over to her. “Have a drink.”

Her cheeks fill with color and she takes the cup, bringing the straw to her lips. She has a quick sip and looks away from me and down to her right. She can barely look at me. Not like I can blame her. She presses her lips around the straw for a moment and I catch her eyes again. She hurries to look away as she sets the cup on the table. I start pulling her food from the bag. A bacon cheeseburger and a large order of fries from Pepper’s Bar and Grill just down the street. “Hungry?”

She finally looks at me and gives me a little nod. “Starved, actually.”

“Then you shouldn’t have told me that you didn’t want anything,” I say. “You have to eat.” I begin unwrapping her burger and place it front of her. She looks up at me confused as I sit down and grab my own burger and fries.

“I’m just trying to keep the shop running,” she explains. “I have to work your schedules around all the appointments you have all while making sure someone can be out front in case we have walk-ins.”

“Understandable, but you can’t just not eat. It’s not good for you.” I say, diverting my attention to my burger. I look up slightly and see that she is chewing quietly but seems to refuse to look at me as she reaches for her cup and has a drink of pop.

“Sometimes I just forget.”

“Well,” I start, “you shouldn’t. It’s not healthy.”

She gives me a silent nod as she still looks to my left.

“Something interesting over there?” I ask, wiping my mouth with a napkin.

Her mouth drops and her eyes move to meet mine. “I’m sorry…I just…” Her voice trails and she looks up at me with the saddest blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Lola, this doesn’t have to be awkward,” I tell her. “Things happened really fast last night. I never wanted to make things like this…I just…see I have this thing…” I stop my words and watch as her mouth drops.

“Oh, my fucking God.” Her blue eyes go from sad to angry quickly as she pushes her food away.

I shake my head. “No, that’s not what I meant, see, I just…there’s this thing about me.” Out with it, dude. Tell her. Tell her now. Tell her what you are. I look down at her burger that has no more than two bites taken out. “You should eat some more. Two bites will not help you. I know it’s not exactly healthy, but it’s something.”

“Do you have a fucking girlfriend?” She snaps in a loud whisper, leaning across the table.

I shake my head furiously. “No! I wouldn’t do that!”

“Some disease?”

This one just makes me laugh as I sit back and shake my head. I lean back in my chair and shake my head. “No, I don’t have some STD that I didn’t tell you about.”

“Then what?! Just tell me?! What thing do you have?!” She looks directly into my eyes. She’s worried, she’s scared, and she’s a mess. I can see that all in her eyes. She pouts slightly and gets up. “It was fun…really, it was great. I hope you like your job here.”

She pouts again, this time crossing her arms and nodding as she starts to walk away.

“Lola, sit down, now,” I command her.

She turns to look at me, shocked at my order. Her mouth drops and her arms slowly fall to her sides.

“Sit down and eat, now.” I order.

She reaches for the chair and pulls it out slowly. She looks at me, pouts, and finally has a seat, taking a bite of her burger. I look away and smirk slightly. All I can think to myself is good girl.

Trista Jaszczak (jazz-ick) is the author of the Believe series (reinterpreted fairy tales), and upcoming relaunches, Loverboy, What Lies Inside and the Darkness Falls series. She is an Air Force spouse and mother to two mischievous and rambunctious little girls. She is originally from Hamilton, Ohio but calls home where ever the Air Force sends her. She currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska where she finds endless inspiration in the pure Alaskan wilderness. When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her family in the vast Alaskan outdoors, plucking away at her old guitar or working on self-improvement in the gym. She loves the outdoors, the moon, old movies and music.

He’s a tattoo artist. He plays metal and classical music – on the violin.

He’s got a body built for sin.

He’s 24.

In comes Ivy. She’s a 36 year old single mom who hasn’t dated in 18 years.

All she wanted was a tattoo.

She got a helluva lot more 🙂

Being good has never been so bad.

I am in absolute love with this book. I would have given it 20 stars if I could. Do you ever have those books that just hit the right cord at the exact right time? This is that book for me. I understand where Ivy was coming from but also where Lukas was coming from also on the age issue. I can only hope that if I’m ever in Ivy’s situation that I could find someone to love me even a 1/3 as much as Lukas felt for her. *sigh* All those feels y’all.

Not to mention that the sex was nothing but smoking hot. The little twist that was thrown in close to the end of the book was definitely unexpected and I actually liked how the author dealt with it. I usually don’t give 5 star book reviews but this one deserves it and more. This is the first book that I have read by Carian Cole but it surely won’t be the last.

Favorite Quote: This is not exact but you get the meaning behind it…..RAWR!!!

I have a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles and of course, the sweet girls that try to tame them and win their hearts. My debut series, Ashes & Embers, follows the lives of rock band members as they find, and sometimes lose, the loves of their lives.

My first novel in the Ashes & Embers series, Storm, was published in September of 2014 and book 2, Vandal, was published in February 2015 with several more of this series planned throughout 2015.

Born and raised a Jersey girl, I now reside in beautiful New Hampshire with my husband and our multitude of furry pets and spend most of my time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

Cecelia Marks is a whistle-blower and her life is no longer her own. Witness Protection offers little safety when the man who hunts her is a wealthy oil tycoon hell bent on taking her down and making her pay.

He’s haunted by demons

Sigma werewolf Lucky Miller failed to protect an innocent and the grief still haunts him. When a new woman stumbles into his life smelling too much like his fated mate, his wolf won’t let him walk away. Things become even more dangerous once she becomes the center of a motorcycle club war.

Cecelia may live… if she gets Lucky.

Cecelia has been running for her life from her ex-husband for years. Lucky is running from his past and mistakes. This books starts out with Cecelia going into a tattoo parlor and Lucky is her tattoo artist. This book has a weird vibe to it. Lucky does yoga and tries to be all zen but he’s also a biker werewolf. Yes, you read that right. LOL Lucky and his MC agree to help keep Cecelia safe from her ex-husband when he takes out a bounty on her head.

I liked this book. I wasn’t amazed by it even though the storyline was definitely different. The whole storyline seemed rushed but it was entertaining so I can’t fuss too badly about it.

Ryanne Hawk writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal stories. She blends humor, horror, and interesting worlds, in order to bring you entertaining reads sure to make you think, squirm in your seat, and laugh out loud. Ryanne Hawk is the alter ego of author ER Pierce.